Politics
Syria said Wednesday its counteroffensive has pushed back insurgents attempting to advance to the strategic central city of Hama, while the insurgency says it captured more Syrian troops and Iran-backed militants in fierce battles. The latest flareup in Syria’s long civil war comes after forces opposed to Syrian President
Politics
Fighting between the Congolese army and the M23 rebel group resumed in eastern Congo in yet another ceasefire violation ahead of potential mediation talks, both groups said. The army said in a statement it inflicted heavy losses on the rebels in the Lubero territory of North Kivu province Monday, including
Politics
Georgia’s prime minister on Tuesday threatened to punish his political opponents, accusing them of being behind violence at mass protests, as Tbilisi’s top court rejected a key lawsuit to annul the result of a contested October vote. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze — who infuriated protesters last week by announcing
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The incumbent center-right parties Fianna Fail and Fine Gael looked set to retain power in Ireland as vote counting in the European Union member’s general election resumed on Sunday. With half the seats of the new 174-seat lower chamber of parliament decided since Friday’s vote, the two parties
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An alliance of civil society groups in the Philippines filed an impeachment complaint on Monday against Vice President Sara Duterte, on grounds of grave misconduct and constitutional violations. The daughter of firebrand former President Rodrigo Duterte has been embroiled in a bitter row with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and is
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Icelanders voted to elect a new parliament Saturday after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call an early election. All polling stations managed to open despite fierce weather in the sub-Arctic nation that left
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Thousands of Syrian militants took over most of Aleppo on Saturday, establishing positions in the country’s largest city and controlling its airport before expanding their shock offensive to a nearby province. They faced little to no resistance from government troops, according to fighters and activists. A war monitor, the
Politics
The 13-year civil war in Syria has roared back into prominence with a surprise rebel offensive on Aleppo, one of Syria’s largest cities and an ancient business hub. The push is among the rebels’ strongest in years in a war whose destabilizing effects have rippled far beyond the country’
Politics
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau traveled to Florida on Friday for a dinner with Donald Trump at the president-elect’s Mar-a-Lago estate, as the incoming US leader promised tariffs on Canadian imports. The unannounced meeting came at the end of a week that has seen Canada as well as Mexico
Politics
Bangladesh’s leading political parties have called for calm following widespread unrest in the country triggered by the killing of a lawyer during clashes between Hindu protesters and security forces. Public prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif died Tuesday as angry supporters of outspoken Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari — arrested for
Politics
France’s special envoy on Friday said it was urgent for Lebanon to elect a president, after a parliamentary vote to end over two years without a head of state was announced for January. Jean-Yves Le Drian’s visit to Lebanon follows a fragile ceasefire to end the war between
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Cyprus could apply to become a member of NATO once its armed forces receive the necessary training and equipment with US help to bring them up to the standards of the world’s premier military alliance, the president of the Mediterranean island nation said Thursday. President Nikos Christodoulides put Cyprus
Politics
The United States slapped sanctions on 21 top Venezuelan security and cabinet officials Wednesday, accusing them of a campaign of repression after President Nicolas Maduro’s bitterly contested July reelection. The fresh measures — which Venezuela rejected as a “desperate act” against “patriots” — come after Washington and the G7 said they
Politics
A Malaysian court on Wednesday dropped charges against jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak over criminal breach of trust linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of a state fund. Najib had already been convicted in his first graft case tied to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad state fund, or 1MBD, scandal and
Politics
A ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah came into effect on Wednesday after both sides accepted an agreement brokered by the US and France, a rare victory for diplomacy in a region traumatised by two devastating wars for over a year. Lebanon's army, which is tasked with
Politics
President-elect Donald Trump is threatening to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office as part of his efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. The tariffs, if implemented, could dramatically raise prices on everything from gas to automobiles. The US